Australian Fashion Week: A Triumph for NZ Designers

The big names were missing from this year's Australian Fashion Week. Wayne Cooper and Morrissey were late withdrawals, citing financial reasons, while Easton Pearson and superstar design duo Sass n Bide also pulled out of the 10th annual event.

But the omissions were quickly forgotten and eyes turned back to the bright lights of the runway as other established designers showed their spectacular collections.

A shortage of top Australian stars always opens the door for New Zealand designers. There were seven this year - the largest group since 2002.

Trelise Cooper led the Kiwi contingent off to a good start. The Australian media criticised Cooper's show for being too long but she earned praise for her collections, which included the debut of her lingerie line.

She pushed out model after model, showing three labels in succession. "This is about sales," Cooper said. "And I can't sell millions of dollars of product out of a 12-minute parade."

The first of the three labels, Cooper, featured colourful, printed tennis dresses in florals and stripes and nautical-themed dresses and jackets followed by her new lingerie collection - vintage-inspired in silk or silk/satin embellished with old-style lace, ribbons, pleating and applique. Finally, the Trelise Cooper label mixed prints and patterns and vintage lace trims wit